China: Chinese documents included in PCT minimum documentation from 1 July 2012

Chinese patent literature will soon form part of the PCT minimum documentation and will then have to be included in patentability searches done for PCT applications. The amendment to the corresponding Rule 34 of the "Regulations under the PCT" was accepted during the September/October 2011 session of the Assembly of the PCT Union. The rule change will apply to any international application (irrespective of its international filing date) for which an international search is carried out on or after 1 July 2012.